Pakistan to approach Interpol over Maulvi Faqir Mohammad

Islamabad: Pakistan will approach Interpol for the handing over of Maulvi Faqir Mohammad, a senior commander of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan who was recently captured in Afghanistan, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Saturday.

Malik`s comments came in the wake of the Afghan government`s refusal to hand over Mohammad, who was detained near the border with Pakistan on Monday.

He said Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar had already taken up the matter with her Afghan counterpart and Islamabad will soon contact Interpol.

Mohammad is wanted in several cases in Pakistan and he should be deported by Afghanistan so that action can be taken against him according to Pakistani laws, Malik told reporters during an interaction here.

Replying to a question about the Taliban`s offer of talks? Malik said the militants will have to prove they are serious about a dialogue with the government.

They have to surrender their weapons before any negotiations, he said.

The Taliban should also form a team for the task of holding a dialogue with the government, he said.

Earlier this week, Pakistan`s Foreign Office demanded Afghanistan should hand over Mohammad, who had served as deputy chief of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. Hours later, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said he could not be handed over as the two countries do not have an agreement on exchanging prisoners.

Analysts have said the Afghan government`s decision is linked to Pakistan`s refusal to hand over Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a top Afghan Taliban commander captured in Karachi in early 2010.

Pakistan has so far freed 26 Afghan Taliban leaders to facilitate the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

On the other hand, the Pakistani Taliban have offered to hold talks with the government and called for three top opposition politicians, including PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, should be named as guarantors for the peace process.

However, the Taliban have rejected Interior Minister Malik`s call to disarm before talks.